On back-to-back nights in August 2012, Americans Lashinda Demus and Erik Kynard Jr. had Olympic champion performances in the 400m hurdles and high jump, respectively.
On Aug. 9, 2024, Demus and Kynard received the gold medals they should have been awarded 12 years earlier.
Both Demus and Kynard originally finished second at the London Games behind Russians who were later disqualified for doping violations.
So at the Paris Games this past summer, the Americans were honored, belatedly, and heard the Star-Spangled Banner at a ceremony across from the Eiffel Tower.
“The difference between being a silver medalist and a gold medalist, it can literally change your life,” Demus said in an IOC short film on her career published Saturday (video atop this post).
Demus entered the 2012 Olympics as the reigning world champion and, at the time, the third-fastest woman in history in the event.
In the 400m hurdles final, she strained to chase down Russian Natalya Antyukh in their last strides, ultimately finishing seven hundredths of a second behind.
“Of course, I wanted the gold medal; I will not stop until I get the gold medal,” Demus told Lewis Johnson on NBC after the race. She was unable to return for the 2016 Olympics after a series of injuries.
“The disappointment was heavy, and I think one of the main reasons why was because I knew I was 29 at that time and that it could potentially be my last Olympic Games,” Demus said in the IOC film.
Demus had already put in extraordinary work just to make it to London. She came back from having twin boys in 2007, and missing the 2008 Olympic team by one spot at trials. She nearly tore her hamstring off the bone just three months before the 2012 Games. She was still in pain at the Olympics.
Demus was a trailblazer for champion sprint moms — such as Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Allyson Felix — and also for American gold medalists in the women’s 400m hurdles. Demus is the first American to win the Olympic title in the event, followed directly by Dalilah Muhammad (Rio 2016) and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (Tokyo 2020, Paris 2024).
“The fastest mom in the world definitely goes on top of the silver medal, absolutely, but now we’re talking about the gold medal. It might go right underneath that one,” she said, smiling and laughing.
Kynard, who is eight years younger than Demus, made his Olympic debut in London. A year earlier, he placed 14th in his world championships debut at age 20. He wasn’t deterred.
“I was set on winning an Olympic gold medal,” he said. “I was not satisfied with just being on the team.”
Kynard knocked the bar over on his second jump of the 2012 Olympic final. He rebounded to make his next three jumps. Only Kynard and Russian Ivan Ukhov cleared 2.33 meters.
Kynard, whose personal best was 2.34, tried 2.36, 2.38 and 2.40 to no avail. Ukhov did clear 2.36 and 2.38.
“It was tough to stand there, have to face him, knowing that things were not proper and to be around him,” Kynard said, noting he was aware of “swirling rumors” about Russian athletes and doping. “Oh, I was pissed.”
Kynard rarely wore his medal over the coming days. He was confused why those around him celebrated him for finishing second.
“It’s exhausting to go through something like that,” he said. “That’s when I realized how dangerous my perspective was. You can drive yourself crazy being self-critical that way.”
In 2021, after Ukhov was disqualified, Kynard said the time had passed for celebration after so many years. On Aug. 9, 2024, Kynard took part in the ceremony in Paris in front of a crowd that cheered as he wore his gold medal.
“Everybody was expecting me to be bitter with the medal reallocation and the scandals,” he said in the IOC film. “I could be sitting back, like, man I missed out on so much money or sponsors. Although those things are reality, honestly, it’s like, I’m as great as I thought I was. I have my gold medal, and there’s closure on the story of who Erik Kynard is as an athlete.”
Shannon Rowbury moves closer to possible 2012 Olympic 1500m medal
Shannon Rowbury was upgraded to third place in the 2012 Olympic women’s 1500m, but the bronze medal has not been reallocated yet.
